2017 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: MTSU CB Jeremy Cutrer

Middle Tennessee State senior cornerback Jeremy Cutrer is one of the most talented players at his position in the country, yet is still trying to make himself a household name in the draft community.

Standing at 6’2, it’s clear that Cutrer has the height and length that is valued by scouts across the NFL. In a Cowboys Blitz exclusive interview after the North Texas vs Middle Tennessee State game on October 1, Cutrer spoke to Bobby Belt and I about his overall game and background.

Coming into the 2016 season, Cutrer was named to the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List and the Senior Bowl Watch List because of his outstanding performance in 2015. He registered three interceptions, 31 tackles, and a team-best 13 pass breakups in 2015 according to the MTSU Football official website.

One team in particular, the Dallas Cowboys, especially values length and ability in run support from their cornerbacks. Cutrer is long, but carries a thin frame, and I stepped into his evaluation thinking run support would be an area of weakness for his game. However, his aggressiveness and willingness to step up in the run game is what caught my eye from the beginning. Cutrer checks off this box with flying colors and expressed how much pride he takes in being able to defend the run.

“I take pride there because coming out of high school, I played safety, and I just have that nose for the ball,” Cutrer said. “I’m pretty light so I have to come in and just play hard, and let them know that I’m not scared. It’s all heart.”

A note that I wrote down when watching Cutrer was that he moves like a cornerback, but plays and looks like a safety with his instincts, ball skills, and aggressiveness. In fact, I strongly believe some teams will evaluate Cutrer as a safety if he can add weight to his frame. This kind of versatility appeals to every team in the NFL. Cutrer spoke to us about whether or not his future position could be at safety, and how he values the versatility of his game.

“It could be at safety. I just play cornerback because I have the length and the skills to play corner, but if anybody wants me to play safety, I’m willing to play safety, corner, nickel, dime, or anything on the field.”

For any player, a trait that is required to perform at a high level is confidence. Throughout my evaluation of Cutrer, as well as talking to him personally, the confidence and swagger he possesses is contagious. It is obvious that Cutrer loves to have fun on the field, and he told us why this part of the game is so important to him personally.

“It keeps my motor going. You got to have fun out there. God gave us this talent to have fun, and I want to have fun with my gift that God gave me. It’s a blessing.”

Coming out of high school as a four-star prospect according to ESPN, Cutrer was bound to be an LSU Tiger. After originally committing to the Tigers in 2013, he enrolled at Mississippi Gulf Coast to play safety at the JUCO level. After playing there for two seasons, Cutrer transferred to Middle Tennessee State in 2015 to play cornerback for the Blue Raiders. In addition to this whirlwind of a college career for Cutrer, he also experienced the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, as well as the recent floods in Louisiana. Cutrer wears a shirt that says on the front “My Story Matters,” so he can tell people about his background.

“I’ve been through a lot. With Katrina, seeing bodies floating in the water, seeing dead bodies and people getting killed,” said Cutrer. “I could have went to LSU, but I did not get a chance out of high school. I could have went from JUCO, but didn’t get a chance and was out for a year of football last spring. I just want people to know my story because I have a big story behind me and my story matters.”

Jeremy Cutrer is a prospect with intriguing upside because of his length, cover skills, aggressiveness both in the air and at the LOS, and versatility to play either cornerback or safety at the next level. The tape speaks for itself, and I expect to hear his name pick up steam in the NFL draft circle here soon because of the aforementioned traits. A talented player with an even better personality is one I would keep my eye on for this upcoming draft, and Cutrer fits that mold.